Approval rates
Comparing approval rates requires looking at consistent timeframes. John J. Rabaut's 53% approval rate since 2016 provides a baseline, while his latest-period approval rate of 52% can be compared against the Detroit office's latest-period rate of 57%. These figures are derived from 584 decisions on record, offering a view of past activity.
Office- and national-level breakdowns of fully favorable vs denial rates aren't currently published by SSA in the per-office disposition data. The judge's own breakdown is the detail we have today.
Approval rate over time
Year-over-year approval rate across Judge Rabaut's docket. Annual rates fluctuate with the mix of cases SSA assigns; the longer-run pattern is more informative than any single year.
Decision pattern
The approval rate for John J. Rabaut has fluctuated across the 584 decisions on record since 2016. After an initial period of higher approval rates, the trend showed a decline in recent years, though the 2026 fiscal year-to-date data shows a rate of 53%. The latest-period approval rate of 52% is lower than the office-wide average of 57%.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Rabaut's bench. Judge-specific preparation guidance requires a corpus of public Appeals Council decisions involving each judge, which we haven't built yet.
- Bring a clean treating-physician record. Longitudinal primary-care or specialist notes spanning the disability period, with consistent symptom documentation, are typically the strongest evidence at hearing. A single month's records usually aren't enough.
- Don't rely on consultative exams alone. If your medical evidence is built primarily around a one-time CE finding, expect detailed questioning. Supplement with treating-source statements where possible.
- Prepare for daily-activity questions. Have honest, specific answers about a typical day. Answers that conflict with the medical record (in either direction) tend to hurt credibility.
- Expect transferable-skills probing. A vocational expert will usually testify about jobs available to someone with your limitations. Your representative should be prepared to cross-examine.
About the Detroit hearing office
The most recent office on record for John J. Rabaut is the Detroit hearing office, with decisions there through July 2026. This office serves the surrounding Michigan region and maintains a bench of 12 judges whose most recent office on record is this location. The office-wide latest-period approval rate is 57%.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Detroit
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you are assigned is random. There are 12 judges whose most recent office on record is the Detroit hearing office. Approval rates for this bench range from 25% to 75% on their since-2016 records.
Approval rates change with a lawyer
Source: U.S. Government Accountability Office, GAO-18-37. The 3× gap is a population-wide average across all judges; individual outcomes vary.
Frequently asked questions
John J. Rabaut has an approval rate of 53% on record since 2016. This falls within the 25% to 75% range of the 12 judges whose most recent office on record is the Detroit hearing office. An attorney can help you prepare your case for the specific nuances of this bench.
Yes, the approval rate has fluctuated over the 584 decisions on record since 2016. While the rate reached 60% in 2017, it has seen variations in subsequent years, with the latest-period rate sitting at 52%. An attorney can help you understand how these trends might relate to your specific claim.
No, you cannot choose your judge. The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases to judges at the hearing office, making the assignment process random. An attorney can help you prepare for a hearing regardless of which judge is assigned to your case.
An SSDI hearing is a formal proceeding where a judge reviews your medical evidence and testimony. You will likely be asked questions about your work history and physical or mental limitations. An attorney can help you prepare your testimony and organize your medical records to ensure your case is presented clearly.
